This invention relates to an apparatus for use in forming fabric into a predetermined three-dimensional shape, and particularly to an apparatus which has improved means for expanding a fabric mold and for holding fabric placed over the mold when the mold is expanded.
In recent years there has been an ever increasing demand for relatively low cost, ready-to-wear garments that have a fine, tailored appearance and retain that appearance after extended use. In order to satisfy this demand, a variety of synthetic materials, either alone or blended with natural fibers, have been incorporated into fabric used to produce such garments. These fabrics, however, along with the traditional fabrics such as cotton and wool, must still be made into garments by conventional, time consuming, labor intensive techniques. Unfortunately, these manufacturing techniques unduly inflate the prices of the resulting ready-to-wear garments.
The conventional method of making cloth garments begins with cutting the cloth, in the flat, into a number of pieces which are arranged according to predetermined, often complex patterns. In order to minimize cutting costs, many layers of cloth are cut to the desired pattern at one time. This procedure, however, introduces size variation in the pieces, since the cutting knife may not hold precisely to the true garment pattern through the multiple layers of cloth. Conventional garment manufacture also requires that the cloth pieces of the pattern be joined or seamed, by sewing or welding, and darts employed where necessary to shape the garment. This is followed by pressing to improve fit and remove wrinkles. All of these steps are labor intensive and therefore expensive.
In addition, the seams of conventional tailored garments may pucker or open during manufacture or after extended wear and cleaning. Even if the seams do not open or pucker, they nevertheless constitute rigid intersections in the garment which tend to lessen the garment's wearing comfort. With multiple seams and darts, it is extremely difficult to produce a garment which faithfully conforms to the predetermined size and configuration of the desired apparel.
In view of these inherent disadvantages in conventional garment fabrication procedures, attempts have been made in the past to form garments by molding processes. Molded garments, for example, would be more economical to produce than garments produced in accordance with traditional manufacturing techniques, since the number of labor intensive steps and the amount of material waste would be greatly reduced. Consistency of sizing in the molded garments would be far superior to traditionally manufactured garments, since size variations in the garment prior to molding would be eliminated by the molding process. Also, molded garments would require far fewer seams and darts than traditionally manufactured garments in order to produce the desired shape. Molded garments would therefore be far less subject to the problem of opened and puckered seams, and would have greatly improved wearing comfort and durability, as well as appearance.
In copending application Ser. No. 289,254, filed Aug. 3, 1981, now abandoned, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention, an improved method of forming cloth into three-dimensional garments is disclosed. The method of that application highlights the failures of previous cloth molding processes, particularly in maintaining even or uniform tension across the garment during molding. Many processes prior to that disclosed and claimed in the aforesaid application, for example, stretch the garment in some places and shrink it in others or stretch the garment to differing degrees in different areas producing uneven tension and variations in fabric density throughout the garment and an unattractive, ill-fitting final product.
The invention of the aforesaid application includes a method of forming cloth into predetermined three-dimensional shapes from cloth shells. The method entails constructing a preformed cloth shell conforming to the shape of a mold contoured to correspond to the predetermined three-dimensional shape. The cloth shell is placed in tension over the mold, and the cloth shell is treated on the mold so that it will retain the predetermined shape when removed from the mold. The shape of the cloth shell generally conforms to the shape of the mold, so that substantially the entire shell will be under uniform tension on the mold.
The present invention is directed to providing a new and improved mold which facilitates rapid mounting of the shell onto the mold, provides uniform tensioning of the shell, and prevents the shell from moving or slipping while on the mold.